Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has spoken about the impact of an alleged £11million extortion plot against him on his mental health and playing career.
Pogba accused his brother Matthias of being involved in the plan during which he was held at gunpoint in the suburbs of Paris. He paid £85,000 to the extortionists who demanded £11m.
According to the report, Matthias has spent three months in jail after Pogba accused him of involvement in the blackmail plot. A formal investigation is ongoing.
L’Equipe has reported that Pogba revealed to the judges how the whole ordeal has impacted him.
He said that he had kept it all to himself for a long time before revealing it. He also said that the incident had a big impact on his body, particularly on his injuries.
He said (via Daily Mail):
“I kept all of this to myself for a long time and then I revealed it. This case has had a big impact on my body, especially on my injuries.”
“I’ve spoken about it with the French national team manager.”
The incident has caused concerns about the player’s mental well-being and his career, which has been in decline in recent years.
He was once at the peak of his career at Juventus. He was so good that Manchester United paid a whopping €105m to sign him back. The signing was one of the biggest in the league and although he had some good moments with United, he was never able to replicate his form from Juventus and ultimately left on a free to Juventus again in 2022.